Combined lighter and watch



Dec. 4, 1951 F. H. FRASER 2,577,679

COMBINED LIGHTER AND WATCH Filed Feb. 27, 1950 Frank H. Fraser INVENTOR.

w 4 M a v Patented Dec. 4, 1951 COMBINED LIGHTER AND WATCH jfFrankf Fraser,' Wellsville, Ohio, assignor of one=half to Richard C. Haugh, Wellsville, Ohio Application February 2'7, 1950, Serial No. 146,549

This invention relates to new and useful improvements' an d structuralyrefinements in pyrophoric pocket lighters and, pocket watches, the principal object of the inventionbeing to com- ;connectil g the operative-connection between the lighter and the watch when the winding'crown of the watch is used for time setting.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its simplicity of construction, in its efficient and dependable operation, and in its adaptability to economical manufacture.

With the above more important objects and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view thereof, this being partially broken away so as to reveal its construction;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view, similar to that shown in Figure 2, but with the mechanism disengaged, and

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 44 in Figure 2.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of a combined lighter and watch which is designated generally by the reference character iii and embodies in its construction a conventional pyrophoric lighter 12 including a housing i4 and a snuffer cap l6 which is swingable about a fulcrum !8 from its closed position shown by full lines to an open position shown by dotted lines 25; in Figure 2.

A conventional watch 22 is secured in any suit able manner to the housing M of the lighter l2 and includes a rotatable winding crown 24 which, when pulled upwardly, may also be used for time setting the Watch.

The essence of novelty in the invention resides in the provision of a mechanism for operatively connecting'the lighter to the watch,,this mechanism including a toothed segment-26 mounted on the fulcrum 8--for oscillation with thesnuiier cap 16, thesegment 26 meshing with'a combined bevel and spur gear 28.

The gear 28 is rotatably mounted in a suitable bracket 30 secured to the lighter housing l4 and meshes with a bevel-pinion-32 which is rotatable in the bracket 30 and is provided with aflange or shoulder -34 topreventitsaxial shifting movement.

A stem 36, secured to the windingcrown 24, is rotatable and slidable in=the pinion '32 and has a-polygonal upper endportion s8 secured in an overrunning clutch member 49. A coacting clutch member 42 is provided integrally on the pinion 32, and a leaf spring 44, secured to the bracket 30 by a screw 46, bears against the upper end of the clutch member so as to urge the same into engagement with the clutch member 42.

A suitable case 48 is secured by the screws 59 to the lighter housing I4 so as to cover the watch 22 and the actuating mechanism already described, it being noted that the case 48 is provided with a recess or an opening 52 through which a portion of the crown 24 projects outwardly, so that the crown may be rotated for winding as well as pulled upwardly and rotated for time setting.

The lighter I2 is actuated in a conventional manner by depressing an actuating member 54 on the housing 14, this causing the snufier cap IE to swing upwardly to open position while the igniting mechanism (not shown) is energized. During this action the gear 28 is rotated in the direction of the arrow 56 (see Figure 2) and the interfitting serrations or teeth on the coacting clutch members 40, 42 are cut in such manner that rotation of the clutch member 42 simply lifts the clutch member 40 upwardly against the resiliency of the spring 44, and no rotation is imparted to the stem 36 and the winding crown 24.

However, when the snuffer cap l6 is swung downwardly so as to extinguish the lighter, the gears 26, 28 and 32 rotate the clutch member 42 in a relatively opposite direction, that is, in the direction of the arrow 58 in Figure 2, which rotational movement is transmitted to the clutch member 40 and through the stem 36 to the winding crown 34 so that the watch is wound each time the snufier cap I6 is pressed to its closed position.

When it is desired to time set the watch, the crown 24 is pressed upwardly, which movement lifts the stem 36 and the clutch member 40 against the resiliency of the spring 44, thus disengaging the clutch member 40 from the clutch member 42 and permitting the crown 24 to be rotated for time setting without imparting any movement to the clutch member 42 and the pinion 32.

It is to noted that the watch 22 used in the invention is preferably of the type which has conventional, built-in mechanism for preventing the watch from over winding. In other words, when the watch is fully wound, the crown 24 may still be rotated by closing of the snufi'er cap l6, without injuring or over winding the watch spring. t

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly understood from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, further description'thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor cap and said crown, said connection including a toothed segment operated by said snufier cap, a combined bevel and spur gear driven by said segment, a pinion driven by said gear, a stem secured to said crown, an overrunning clutch member secured to said stem, a cooperating clutch member fixed to said pinion, said overrunning clutch member being disengageable from said cooperating clutch member by axial shifting of the stem as when the crown is manually shifted for hand setting, and a leaf spring bearing against said overrunning clutch member and biasing the same into engagement with the cooperating clutch member, whereby said crown may be intermittently rotated in one direction only to wind said watch by successive swinging movements of said cap and whereby the watch hands may be set when the clutch members are disengaged.

FRANK H. FRASER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATEN TS Great Britain' Feb. 2 6, 1931 

